Category: Blog

Council made critical steps this week on three key issues. … Council also voted to send an alternative auditor measure to the ballot. I recognize that this decision is disappointing to proponents of the citizen initiative, Measure 20-283 who are passionate and deeply invested in their proposal. It does not feel good to have others question the merits of that work; but this is a significant public policy decision and I, and a majority of council, agree that the public should have the opportunity to choose which model is the best fit for our city. …

Monday this week found Council hosting a robust public forum with 48 speakers who addressed more than a dozen topics. These ranged from calls for divestment from banks involved with fossil fuel extraction and production; calls to proceed with implementing a railroad quiet zone, to concern about the proliferation of marijuana retailers downtown, and urging council to move forward in reviewing the code changes for secondary dwelling units. We also heard from both citizen groups advocating for a city auditor function — the petitioners who placed the independent auditor initiative on the ballot and the citizens who drafted an alternative measure that they hope the council will finalize into a ballot measure. Council voted on Wednesday to direct staff to draft a final ballot measure based on the amended language for the alternative proposal. The final version of that measure will return to Council on February 12th, when we will vote whether to submit it for the May election. …

We started the new year in full Eugene style. Our Monday night public forum this week included 43 speakers.

Close to half of the speakers addressed the need for an auditor role in the city. About ten people represented the City Accountability Measure 22-283 for an independent auditor; and ten others represented a new group of advocates, Citizens for Sensible Oversight, who urged the council to review and consider their alternative auditor proposal. Council took this request seriously and at Wednesday’s work session directed the city attorney to review the proposed alternative. …

Our final week of council meetings for 2017 was packed with important conversations and decisions. On Monday, the 11th, Council reviewed their commitment to implementing an auditor function in principle, and specifically their concerns about the auditor initiative that is on the May ballot. Of the seven councilors present, six stated their support for the creation of an auditor role. As for the initiative, there are concerns about the cost, the lack of a residency requirement, a run-off provision, or citizen oversight for this role. They made no decision to act on those concerns and I have left it to them to determine if they would like a follow-up discussion. The discussion is critical – both for council and for the public — to scrutinize and understand the choice before us. The initiative proponents have described our discussions as “interference.” To the contrary, it is the job of elected leaders to discuss policy in public meetings. The proposal to create a third branch of government with funds that are not subject to review by the citizen budget committee has long term consequences. Responsible decision-making is based in deliberative, thoughtful discussion, and I will continue to lead that conversation, whether or not council brings it back to a work session. …

Next week will bring a couple of big conversations to council. On Monday night, we will consider the council’s possible response to the ballot initiative for an independent auditor; review the proposed disbursement of funds as part of the supplemental budget, and have brief conversations on winter strategies for the homeless, and the city’s response to the proliferation of rats, particularly in south Eugene. …

Council is in a race to address a number of important issues before taking a winter break. On Nov. 20th, we held a work session to review the key elements of the citizen initiative to create an independent auditor department; and to hear from the study group I convened to review the range of auditor structures, costs and scope that have been implemented in other cities and counties. Council requested more information from the city attorney regarding the scope, oversight, and residency implications. They will hold a second session on December 11th to hear that information and decide whether or not to respond as a council to the initiative — yes, no, or create an alternative. …

… Also on Tuesday, the Performance Auditor Study Group met to review and expand their matrix. The matrix outlines performance auditor scope, cost and accountability for seven cities and Lane County, including the proposed initiative for Eugene. More information and cities will be added to help inform our community choice about instituting a performance auditor. These meetings are open to the public. The next meeting will happen the week of September 11th. Information is available at EugenePerformanceAuditor.org …

I began the month of August with two efforts to listen and learn on a pair of long-running city issues. … On Wednesday, I convened the first meeting of the Eugene Performance Auditor study group. This is not an official City of Eugene committee; City staff are not involved, and I reserved a library meeting room just as any other citizen group would, in order to assure the public that research is independent and impartial. In my position as a citizen who is also mayor, I have called people together to help us understand the framework of decisions in implementing a performance auditor role. Their task is to build a framework. They will not recommend a specific auditor role or scope, nor will they advocate for or oppose the initiative currently gathering signatures. This is part of my commitment for transparent decision making. The meetings are open to the public; information and materials are available on a new website: EugenePerformanceAuditor.org …

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Eugene City Council

On Monday, February 12th, 2018, at 7:30 pm, the Eugene City Council voted 5-2 (Clark & Taylor opposed, Semple absent) for Resolution No. 5219 to refer the Citizens for Sensible Oversight proposal for an independent performance auditor to voters on the May 2018 ballot.

On Wednesday, January 24th, 2018, at noon, the Eugene City Council held a fifth work session on the issue of a city auditor:

About This Site

This site is intended to support community efforts to explore having a performance auditor for the City of Eugene.

In particular, this site includes information on the Eugene Performance Auditor Study Group convened by Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis to look at the pros and cons of different ways to establish a performance auditor.

For information about Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis, her blog, and her monthly dashboard of city efforts, please visit her official page.

For information about the ballot initiative Measure 20-283 by chief petitioners Bonny Bettman McCornack, David Monk and George Brown, please visit CityAccountability.org.

For information about Check and Balances, the nonprofit Bonny Bettman McCornack, David Monk, Paul Nicholson and Wayne Lottinville established “to engage in research, outreach, and education to help guide policy and financial decision making by our community and its elected and non-elected leadership,” please visit Checks-Balances.org.